Somali artists and cultural organizations are protesting the Somalia pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale, arguing it excludes artists based in Somalia and relies on diaspora figures and an Italian co-curator, which they view as colonial. The Somali Arts Foundation issued a statement condemning the lack of consultation, while the queer arts collective Warbixinta Cidda criticized the appointment of Italian curator Fabio Scrivanti. Somali American poet Ladan Osman boycotted the pavilion, calling it "anti-indigenous."
This controversy matters because it highlights ongoing tensions around representation, diaspora involvement, and colonial legacies in international art exhibitions, particularly as Somalia presents its first-ever pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The dispute reflects broader debates about who gets to define national identity in global art contexts and underscores the Biennale's own struggles with inclusivity and political neutrality, including criticism over the erasure of Palestine.